Method and system for managing and distributing digital media

Abstract

A system and method that integrates a plurality of media service systems offering different multimedia services such as media storage, syndication, delivery, and billing services. The system and method also provides automated file transcoding. In embodiment, a method of the present invention includes receiving a plurality of physical media files, organizing the plurality of physical media files so that different bit-rates and formats of a single source material are organized into a media database entity, receiving user specified delivery settings for the distribution of the physical media file, generating a release database entity storing the delivery settings of the physical media file, generating an address indicating the storage location of the release, and transmitting the address to a remote computing device.

1. In a networked computing environment comprising a server and a plurality of remote computing devices, a method for managing the distribution of digital media, wherein the method comprises:
 at the server, receiving a plurality of physical media files at least some of which share a common input source, 
 storing each of the plurality of physical media files in a memory device: 
 creating one or more media database entities that each identify a relationship among one or more of the plurality of physical media files that share a common input source and store data attributes regarding the one or more physical media files that share a common input source; 
 receiving a data set that is indicative of data attribute delivery settings for delivering one of the plurality of physical media files to a client computer; 
 generating a release database entity that identifies a relationship between the data attribute delivery settings and the physical media file via a media database entity associated with the physical media file; 
 generating a location data set that indicates a location of the physical media file, whereby the location facilitates the retrieval of the physical media file by a client computer; and 
 transmitting the location data set from the server to at least one remote computing device of the plurality of remote computing devices. 
 
   
   
     2. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving a service data set indicative of a selection of at least one service provider associated with a remote computing device configured to provide a media service; 
 determining a storage location for one physical media file of the plurality of physical media files, wherein the determination of the storage location is based on the service data set; 
 transferring at least one physical media file to at least one remote computing device associated with the determined storage location; and 
 recording a location data set indicative of a network address of the remote computing device associated with the determined storage location. 
 
   
   
     3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the location data set is in the format of a uniform resource locator. 
   
   
     4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the physical media file is an audio file. 
   
   
     5. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the physical media file is a video file. 
   
   
     6. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving a master media file having a first bit-rate; 
 determining a number of media files that can be derived from the master media file; 
 generating at least one derivative file from the master media file, wherein the derivative file has a second bit-rate; 
 storing the derivative file in a media database; and 
 distributing the derivative file to a media service computing system. 
 
   
   
     7. In a networked computing environment comprising a managing server and a plurality of remote computing devices, a method for integrating a plurality of media service systems, wherein the method comprises:
 receiving a plurality of physical media tiles at least some of which share a common input source; 
 storing each of the plurality of physical media files in a memory device; 
 creating one or more media database entities that each identify a relationship among one or more of the plurality of physical media files that share a common input source and store data attributes regarding the one or more physical media files that share a common input source; 
 receiving a data set that is indicative of data attribute delivery settings for delivering one of the plurality of physical media files to a client computer; 
 generating a release database entity that identifies a relationship between the data attribute delivery settings and the physical media file via a media database entity associated with the physical media file 
 generating a location data set indicative of a storage location of the physical media file, wherein the location data set contains the data attributes of the release database entity; and 
 transmitting the location data set to at least one remote computing device. 
 
   
   
     8. The method of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 transferring the physical media file to at least one remote computer associated with a service provider for storage; and 
 recording data indicative of the location of the transferred media file. 
 
   
   
     9. A networked computer system including at least one remote client computer, at least one server, and a plurality of servers providing multimedia services, a system of integrating the plurality of servers providing a plurality of multimedia services, comprising:
 a database storing a plurality of media files at least some of which share a common input source, data indicative of the storage location of the media files, and data parameters indicating the format of each media file and transmission capabilities of each media file; 
 a memory storage device housed within the managing server, wherein the memory storage device stores a program module, the program module operative for causing the managing server to: 
 receive the plurality of physical media files; 
 store each of the plurality of physical media files in the database; 
 create one or more media database entities in the database, that each identify a relationship among one or more of the plurality of physical media files that share a common input source and store data attributes regarding the one or more physical media files that share a common input source; 
 receive a data set that is indicative of data attribute delivery settings for delivering one of the plurality of physical media files to a client computer; 
 generate a release database entity in the database that identifies a relationship between the data attribute delivery settings and the physical media file via a media database entity associated with the physical media file; 
 generate a location data set that includes a location of the physical media file, whereby the location facilitates the retrieval of the physical media file by a client computer; and 
 transmit the location data set to at least one remote computing device. 
 
   
   
     10. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing steps comprising:
 receiving a plurality of physical media files at least some of which share a common in put source; 
 storing each of the plurality of physical media files in a memory device; 
 creating one or more media database entities that each identify a relationship among one or more of the plurality of physical media files that share a common input source and store data attributes regarding the one or more physical media files that share a common input source; 
 receiving a data set that is indicative of data attribute delivery settings for delivering one of the plurality of physical media files to a client computer; 
 generating a release database entity that identifies a relationship between the data attribute delivery settings and the physical media file via a media database entity associated with the physical media file; 
 generating a location data set that includes a location of the physical media file, whereby the location facilitates the retrieval of the physical media file by a client computer; and 
 transmitting the location data set to at least one remote computing device. 
 
   
   
     11. The computer-readable medium of  claim 10  further comprising computer-executable instructions for performing steps of:
 receiving a service data set indicative of a selection of at least one service provider associated with a remote computing device configured to provide a media service; 
 determining a storage location for one physical media file of the plurality of physical media files, wherein the determination of the storage location is based on the service data set; 
 transferring at least one physical media file to a remote computing device associated with the determined storage location; and 
 recording a location data set indicative of a network address of the remote computing device associated with the determined storage location.